2016 Sooke Reports

Englishman

Well-Known Member
Well as the 2016 reports have all disappeared, I will follow the lead of others and begin a new thread.

Took my brother-in-law from the U.K. out today. Fished 7:30am until 12:30pm from Harbour mouth, Bluffs all the way down to Otter point and back. Mostly trolling with the tide each way. Immaculate day on the water – flat calm and bright sun in late morning with big flat low period swells coming from the west. Fishing was O.K. but the fish were small. Got a double header of a 4lb and 3lb fish in the first 20 minutes, one on anchovy and one on a glo spoon then not another hit for 4 hours until 10 minutes from the end when got another 3lb fish. Both the smaller ones were hatchery and the other guy was unclipped. Almost no birds out there other than three cormorants riding a log. About 4 other boats fishing the same areas as us and one anchored for hali.
 
went out yesturday fishing for halibut, fished out front of the bluffs on anchor for the EBB with no bites/action. Pulled the pick and headed to Muir for the flood and got one bite, one hali 33lbs around 2pm high slack.
 
Fished Whirl Bay and Church Rock the last two days, Tuesday got skunked not even a strike, saw one boat net a couple, both were right in front of Church Rock. Was frustrated with not getting anything on Tuesday so I headed out again on Wednesday after I dropped the kids off at school. Fished from 10am till 1pm. Lost two and finally boated one, around 7 lbs, Glow teaser head with Gold Betsy Metallic Flasher, 118 feet on the rigger. One was a double header right in front of Church Rock again.
 
Fished from 8:00am until 12:30pm today. Harbour mouth and Bluffs area, traversing many loops, but nothing except one shaker. Tried anchovies, herrings, spoons and hootchies at depths from 100’- 160’ Found a dispersed, mixed flock of birds consisting of gulls, cormorants, murrs and mergansers at about the 170’ mark off the bluffs. They seemed to be mostly milling around with just one or two diving here or there. Did several loops around and through them and glimpsed some fish echoes at 60’ and 100’ but no hits there either, Cold on the water today with NE winds but I am told the weather will improve, if not the fishing!
 
Don't worry Roland I was there this morning too from 7am -12:15 and nothing. Just one hit...traveled from harbour bluffs down to Otter and back all the way to the Island and back across Possession Point and the harbour mouth. One hit was it. Very little bait showing anywhere.
 
I'm taking an old friend out for her birthday on Sunday. She insists we hali fish. My thoughts are Sunday is about the worse day for hali fishing, regarding crowded hali spots and areas fished out from the weekend. Maybe that's just me. But hey, its the only day that will work for everyone, its still fishing, and I'm excited! I realised its been over a year since ive been out in my boat for hali and I'm feeling a bit "out of touch" lol
Theres not a lot of reports coming in either...
Can anybody shed some light on the Sooke area hali catches? Herring, octopus, or makrel particularly hot right now? End of Flood or Ebb tide?
Any info would be greatly appreciated. I practically forgot what hali tastes like! and she wants to catch one really bad!
Thanks guys/gals

'ended up blowing hard enough from the east to make anchoring more work than fun, only got to fish an hour off the bluffs... Not even a sniff.
 
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Morning spent in whirl bay. 4 fish, all 3-4lbs. Kept a couple for the bbq, a few decent bait balls. Only saw 1 other fish landed. Bait & skinny g spoon caught equal fish.
 
Out today with the new boat and picked up 1 small guy @66ft on the rigger about 500m out from Beechey head.
Anchovy, bloody nose.
No other action for hours, no bites :/
 
930-130 today harbour, bluffs, Donaldson. Only hit was just as I was setting up my 2nd rod. Brought in a nice 15lb hatchery on a skinny g and Bon chovy flasher. Best set up all season. Not a sniff from then on out. Good day to work on the tan.
 
Fished out of Sooke again this morning. Landed one 7lb, and lost another one similar size at the boat. Couple other hit and runs. It was a purple kinda day it seemed with all the action on my madi/outfitter spoon set up. Fish were on the 120' contour as I followed them with the flood then couldn't find again as they got closer to the mouth. That's it for me till late May if I'm lucky. Seems like the bigger fish are starting roll in too :(
 
Heading out Wednesday, never fished the area and only have a 14' boat with a 25 hp on it... any advice on where to try for some hali's?
 
Heading out Wednesday, never fished the area and only have a 14' boat with a 25 hp on it... any advice on where to try for some hali's?

Head to Pedder Bay Marina they have a three-lane launch ramp, also they are close to some halibut fishing holes. If the wind kicks up it is a short run home in a small boat.
 
Fished Beecher area all day yesterday. Not tons of action. caught several shakers and a couple of just legal 3ish pounders which we released. Caught one about 18lbs at the meat bucket about 1pm and had a hit from another nice one which didn't stick. Big fish was on a chrome teaser and a purple Madi flasher at 80 ft. For everything else we tried the contents of our tackle boxes at varying depths with mixed results. I should note that the big fish both took the bait very softly, like they were just lazing along and decided to swallow this bait in front of them, the rod tips hardly moved until we tried to set the hook. then it was game on!
 
After a winter break, I find myself lost. Where did everyone, and all the posts go? Is this no longer the "go to" spot for chatting with the locals?
 
After a winter break, I find myself lost. Where did everyone, and all the posts go? Is this no longer the "go to" spot for chatting with the locals?
Still the spot. Chatter will pickup, but it's a bit early yet. We just finished up prawning season and will be moving the boat over to Sooke. I suspect there are a few others that will be doing the same soon.
 
Out today from 10-12 from the bluffs to trailer park, couple shakers was it. The crab traps off the trailer park are sure in annoying spot, hope they don't stay around all summer.
 
Fished for 4 hours on both Sat and Sun for salmon. Had 4 on Sat up to 19 pounds and 3 on Sun up to 8 pounds. Fished up west. There was some bait around in spots for not huge amounts. Beauty warm days and good water. Just a bit of SE slop later in the morning on Sunday. Crabbing is decent in the harbour.
 
How is fishing for salmon and halibut? If a good report please let me know.

Tomorrow I will take my buddy to go fishing .

Thanks.
 
Today my gf and buddy went out from possession point to aldridge point about 920 am, we moved to Albert head for halibut fishing for three hours and caught nothing. We were trolling for salmon until 420 pm, we had left in the morning at 620 am. Fishing is very slow but we got 6 decent crabs.

We saw transient whales and dolphins.

We used bait, AP sandlance, coyote spoons and glow and uv hootches.

It's summertime to me.
 
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